Not Quite Death
by EuphoniumGurl0
Summary: He'll never change. Hermione knows he won't, and that's why she has the perfect reason to get him thrown out of school, but she can't because of explained reasons. How far can she go to try and change Draco before she's had enough?
1. Can I?

A/N: Guys, I know I promised a sequel to A Maze in the Mist, and it will be out partially by this Christmas. I just don't have enough time right now to gather thoughts of any decency. Like any story, this starts out roughly, but I am proud of it. I am warning right now that it's going to have some themes that are not suitable for anyone who is... well... arrogant and naive, for lack of better words that can be found. So, here it is.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter indignatia, items or characters. I never will nor do own the characters. The publishing rights include but are not limited to: Joanne Katherine Rowling, Bloomsbury, AOL Time Warner, Warner Brothers. Please do not make me but a disclaimer on every chapter so in conclusion. I DO NOT OWN JACK SHIT MINUS THE PLOT!!!  
  
Chapter 1: Can I?  
  
"You're not scared, are you?"  
  
She felt herself being slammed into the wall and almost whimpered before recognizing the voice. Six years of God damned torture and he never got tired of it. That was just fine because she wouldn't let him get the pleasure he wanted out of it.  
  
"No." She replied calmly.  
  
She could have made some witty comment to him about his tactic or his predictability, but he would just get off on knowing that he could have an effect on her. Malfoy was the kind of person who looked to start a battle just as an excuse to hate someone. He hated her before he knew her, meaning that he probably wanted to justify his hatred with rows and duels. Too bad. She wouldn't give in.  
  
He forcefully held her against the wall, his hands building a barrier as to not let her out. Hermione kept her hands inside her robes and went through a layer of cloth before finding her wand and grasping it tightly. Malfoy seemed to realize what she was doing and took her wand hand, pulled it out of her robes, and pushed it over her head.  
  
She kept calm and flicked her wrist as if to curse him. He pressed himself against her firmly and violently forced his lips against hers to keep her from cursing him. She was about to push him off, but he bit onto her lip again. She kept tears inside her eyes as she tasted her own blood. She had been assaulted and threatened by Malfoy, but never were any of these attempts sexual.  
  
Her moment of light-headedness caused the distraction Malfoy needed to grasp her wand from her. His eyes cold, he took the corner of her robes and wiped the trail of her blood from his lips.  
  
"Can't have dirty blood on me, can I? Are you scared now?" He asked her as he brought his hand up and rubbed her slowly swelling lip. She glared at him while trying to figure out how to get her wand back. It wouldn't be the most noble thing to do, nevertheless, it would work. She got closer to him and quickly connected her knee with his groin. He fell to the ground and dropped her wand.  
  
"I'm scared I won't be able to stop myself from making that pain permanent." She said pointing her wand at where his hands were now positioned. She took the corner of his robes and wiped where he had touched her face, taking a leaf from his book, "Can't have Deatheater on me, can I?"  
  
She gave him the exact same smirk he had given her before raising and lowering her left eyebrow quickly. She put her wand into her robe sleeve before walking down the third floor corridor on the right hand side. The portraits whispered and pointed at her, gossiping to the neighboring portraits while some of the older ones just gave Malfoy and herself dirty glances. All she knew was that she was relieved that Sir Cadogan was not there to reprimand her about how 'dishonoring' her previous actions were.  
  
Hurrying along the corridor, Hermione passed the trophy room. Her book bag must have been weighing her down because usually she was in class by now, then again, she usually wasn't held up by Malfoy. She groaned at the thought of him and made her way further down the long corridor. Turning left, Hermione found herself in a narrow corridor being lit by torches. She raced down it fearing she would be late for class.  
  
She saw a crowd of students gathered at the door of the Charms classroom and let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't remember the last time she was late for class. Wait, yes she could: April 14th to Transfiguration last year because Blaise Zabini had put a curse on Neville that he didn't know the counter for. She remembered the sight of Neville flipping in the air without being able to stop which was quite a spectacle since he was fairly chubby.  
  
The room door was opened to show a tiny Flitwick holding the door open with magic so it wouldn't collapse on his small body. What was left of the seventh year students after the strenuous intake process filed in with a rustle of their robes and a swing of their book bags. Hermione, being the last to enter, was glad that there was a spot open in the front.  
  
Because the occupants of the desks were now seated and ready to begin class, Flitwick closed the door. Hermione looked around to the back of the room to see Harry seated there with Ron and a spot that was probably meant for her. She ignored their curious glances and looked to the front of the room where Flitwick had begun to talk.  
  
"Today," Professor Flitwick squeaked as he climbed onto a pile of books, "we will be learning how to charm Muggle objects to work in Magical places such as Hogwarts. Quills and parchment out please as I am hoping that there will be none such issues that the Slytherin/Ravenclaw class had." He looked around expectedly and saw no students raise their hands. Doing a familiar movement with his wand, notes appeared on the board.  
  
Of course, Hermione thought, Slytherins would have issues with learning about Muggles when they didn't take Muggle studies for a reason. They were so naïve, and because Voldemort was like that also, his downfall would be quite a bit easier. Muggle contraptions such as guns could be charmed to make the bullets permanent causing an effect similar to the Killing Curse. Of course, they wouldn't be learning of this at school. They were very likely to spend the class with walkmans and CD players trying to get them to work. She wouldn't mind owling her Mum to send her player and favorite CDs if they actually worked. Why she hadn't researched this prior to this class she didn't know. She was probably just concerned with other things.  
  
She took out her Hippogriff quill she had gotten for her birthday, a bottle of black ink, and a scroll of parchment. Unscrewing the bottle absentmindedly, Hermione began to memorize the first part of the notes. She dipped her quill in her ink and began to copy the notes neatly. She looked up to memorize the second part when she had written down the first. Memorization became easier as the years went. If only Harry and Ron had known that, they would have had such an easier time in N.E.W.T classes. They probably wouldn't have worked any harder even if she had told them that.  
  
Dipping her quill into the bottle again, Hermione's thoughts began to wonder. How Harry had changed since Sirius's death. He's never been the same since, Hermione thought. Shrouding himself in his homework the second he had been picked up to go to the Order Headquarters. She didn't blame him being more than just a little upset! What were they thinking bringing him back to the home of his recently deceased Godfather? It was his home ,technically, as it had said in Sirius's will.  
  
On any circumstances, Hermione would have loved to see Harry so immersed in informative texts and his studies, but it was a cover-up. He threw himself into his schoolwork headfirst. Hermione and Ron had each tried talking to him that summer, but as expected, it didn't work. It had taken them months before they got him to talk to them. He had become distant.  
  
In sixth year they got him to open up. It was a start. The famous Golden Trio became closer than ever. It was a good thing too after the reporters owled them daily for 'special reports' and 'exclusive' interviews. It got to the point where they had Dumbledore screen all their mail before receiving it.  
  
Dumbledore had become weary and constantly looked his age as opposed to the energetic person she had known him to be. Who could blame him, though? He had to deal with utmost pressure at all times with the Order, Voldemort, the Ministry, and still having responsibility of being Headmaster of Hogwarts. Of course, there was also Wizengamot and many other things, but those were the least of his worries. That was saying something. She didn't know how he had dealt with it all before, but now she was waiting for him to burst.  
  
She snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a tapping at her back. She turned around to see Ernie Macmillan with his left hand stretched out with a note inside it while his other was scribbling furiously to write down what was on the board. She took the note from his hand and quickly thanked him. She looked up to see the Professor turning back around from the board. Hermione sighed a relief that she had not been caught receiving the piece of parchment.  
  
She opened it up and recognized Ron's distinctive calligraphy. She managed to sneak a glance at him before Flitwick started walking between the aisles to make sure they were all copying down what they were supposed to and make sure it was in the correct format. Hermione quickly read the note before pushing it in the back of her Charms book. She should have guessed Ron and Harry would try and find out what had happened to her lip as it was swollen. She cursed herself for not having time to heal it before rushing into class.  
  
She was just about to try and mouth to him that she would tell him later when Professor Flitwick came back around to the front of the classroom and stood on a stepping stool he had conjured next to the board. He stood up straight and looked to see if all the students were finished. With the last bunch of slow writers finished, Flitwick took his wand and pointed to the board.  
  
"The process is fairly simple as you surely have noticed in the notes when you were copying them down. Most of the earlier class got it by the end of class, though, some did have issues with the concept of understanding the inside works of the objects we are working with. For those of you who are Muggleborn or have taken Muggle studies should, by now, be familiar with the workings of a disc player. If you are not, partner up with someone who is. To make this charm work, you simply need to take the inside of the contraption, the batteries," Hermione watched with an amused expression as many Purebloods in the class looked utterly lost, " and the inputs and outputs and charm them there with the proper incantation. You take the route of the Latin word of what you are charming and then what you are trying to do. For those of you who are not familiar with Latin, there is a list of simplistic things in the back of your book. The incantation for this is Hecatean Canticum."  
  
Hermione repeated along with everyone else. Flitwick smiled brightly at them and waved his hand signally for them to partner up. Hermione looked around expectedly to Harry and Ron. She saw Harry trying to explain to Ron what a battery was. She heard Ron say something very inappropriate and pursed her lips.  
  
"Hermione? Do you mind helping me?" She twisted slightly to see a very confused Lavender Brown.  
  
"Not at all." Hermione reassured with a very warm smile on her face. The girl standing in front of her let out a breath of relief as she plopped down in the chair next to her.  
  
Hermione took out her wand and summoned two disc players. She opened it up to see a disk inside and headphones attached. She put on the power and listened to it. A sharp sound was made from the disk and Hermione quickly turned it off and took out the batteries from the back.  
  
"First off, do you know what batteries are?" Hermione asked. Lavender shook her head furiously as Hermione handed her two double A batteries that had come out of the CD player.  
  
She began her explanation with many interruptions from the girl beside her. She was glad she was so patient because otherwise she would have snapped at the girl or even cursed her mouth shut. She wouldn't have minded as much if all the girl's questions and comments were about the actual class rather than the gossip she provided with even the slightest provocation.  
  
By the end of class, Hermione, Harry, and Hannah Abbott were the only ones who had managed to get the CD player to work completely and totally charmed, playing an old CD of the Backstreet Boys. Flitwick awarded Gryffindor 30 house points while giving Hannah 15 for Hufflepuff. Hermione was cheerful when Flitwick announced the end of class. She packed up not even glancing at Lavender.  
  
"You know, Hermione, I could give you a make over for helping me." She announced.  
  
Hermione snorted as she rolled her eyes. How many times had the plastic girls of Gryffindor seventh year now offered her to tame her hair, apply her make up, buy her clothes, she couldn't count. "I'll keep that in mind." Hermione said curtly while throwing her book bag over her shoulder and walking to the back of the room where Harry and Ron were waiting for her.  
  
"What happened to your lip? It's swollen." Harry assessed. He took her face gently in his arms and tilted her head upward, running over her lip with his thumb. He frowned and looked to Flitwick, "Come on." He pulled them outside the classroom.  
  
"If someone did this to you, I'll kill them." Ron swore under his breath while looking to her face with a mixture of worrying and anger in his eyes  
  
"It's fine, Ron. I can handle myself." Hermione said with a sure air around her. She took out her wand and quickly healed her lip. Take care of herself, she did. The look of distortion on Malfoy's face after she impaired him in the place that hurt most was priceless.  
  
"Who did it?" Ron repeated angrily.  
  
She knew he was stubborn and protective as can be. Even if she couldn't have handled herself, she would have gone to Harry instead of Ron because Ron was sure to do something to the person that would get him either expelled or sent to Azkaban. It was all a hundred times worse because of the fact that it was Malfoy. Their history only included rows and duels.  
  
"Leave it." Harry insisted as he looked to Hermione one last time to check for any other signs of injury or pain. When he saw none, he cut Ron off and lead them the quickest way to the staircase.  
  
They walked up the staircase in a rare silence. Once at the seventh floor without the stairs moving, they scuttled along the corridor to the Gryffindor Common Room. Hermione said the password, and the Fat Lady gladly let the three enter. Once there they deposited their bags on a desk in a corner.  
  
"Weekend! No more classes for two and a half days!" Ron exclaimed as he let himself drop heavily into an open chair that two first years got out of to let him sit in.  
  
"We have homework that I think we should get done." Hermione stated as she looked sternly to them, "You two have to practice practical Transfiguration, a Potions essay, Defense Against the Dark Arts practice, and you have to practice the charm Ron!"  
  
"I've done my homework." Harry said emotionlessly. She sighed looking to Ron. She was still getting used to Harry being responsible and doing his homework at the earliest date. He was throwing himself into his homework, and that was not a good sign. Once again, he had fought his pain with blocking it out.  
  
"Let's go to our Common Room." Hermione referred to the Head Boy and Head Girl dormitory that Harry and Hermione had to share. She wasn't surprised when Harry got the badge. What did surprise her, sadly, was that he got it for his merits in his studies instead of just what he had done.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea." Ron agreed. He shot Hermione a look that said all it needed to. They were going to try and talk Harry out of brooding. Hermione knew they couldn't do it in here, but they could in the privacy of their dormitory. She didn't know if other Heads had gotten their own dormitories. She supposed Dumbledore wanted to have a place where the three could talk privately as too many people now knew of the Room of Requirement.  
  
Dragging Harry along, they took their book bags and exited the Gryffindor Common Room.  
  
A/N: It gets wayyyy better!!!! The 'ships will play around every now and then, but I do have such a strong confidence in the relationship of Hermione and Draco that they will have a weird sort of friendship or more... Depending ont he amount of reviews I get left!!! Already have 6 chapters written out so dooooo rrrrrrreeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeewwwwww!!!! The button is right down there!!! 


	2. A Bitter Treatment

A/N: Thanks for the few reviews, and I got the owls. I repeat, this is NOT the sequel to A Maze in the Mist, obviously. I do not have time that I want to work on the sequel with. Flinches  
  
Chapter 2: A Bitter Treatment  
  
The morning had come with birds chirping loudly, the sun rays reflecting brilliantly off of the window in many shades, and the sky as clear as the bowls of ice cream left for dessert after dinner. It was these kinds of atypical days that were cherished in these times of war that gave everyone hope for a fairytale ending. A subtle breeze grazed the grass and the trees of the grounds as a perfect touch to the warm autumn day.  
  
Hermione yawned soundlessly while stretching her stiff limbs. She threw off the covers from her bed and got up. She stretched once more before taking a hand and touching her uncovered arm. She took a good look out the window before opening it up and walking out onto the balcony.  
  
"Harry?" She asked in surprise. Her raven haired friend was leaning with his hands resting on the railing just the way Hermione had imagined herself doing when she came out.  
  
He turned his head slowly and nodded to her in acknowledgment before returning to his previous stance. She had so much to say to him after he threw Ron out of their dormitory and shut his door in her face. She wanted to yell at him for being so rude, yet, she wanted to comfort him and tell him how he could always rely on her. She decided to keep silent and just keep him company while she stood against the window she had climbed out of and cross her arms. The cool morning air sent a shiver through her body.  
  
Harry's tossed hair fluttered in the breeze as he looked out, watching the sunrise to the top of the sky slowly causing everything else to light up even more than it had before. She could hear his slow, rhythmic breathing in the quiet morning, and it relaxed her. The wind, however, blew even more and caused her to get quite cold in her shorts and tank top.  
  
Harry noticed her discomfort before he even looked to her. She could have easily gotten a shirt from inside to pull over, but she was far too content in this peaceful morning that would be one of the last before the Final Battle. Harry slipped off his shirt and handed it to her. She noticed he had an undershirt type tank top underneath so she opted to take his shirt instead of getting her own. She slipped it over her head and instantly felt warmed.  
  
"Thanks." She whispered in the silent morning. He nodded to her like he had before, not willing himself to speak.  
  
Hermione once again took her position leaning against the window with her arms crossed while Harry took his position leaning on the railing. She examined him like she would an Ancient Rune's chart. Over the years he had grown up quite nicely. He still had the frame of the classic Seeker but had gained a few muscles from dueling, self defensives, and Quidditch. She wasn't too surprised when she saw that this summer he had opted to get rid of his glasses to magically better his vision.  
  
He had slowly begun to shred everything he had from the past. He dismembered all of his possessions: his books, his notes, his old clothes, his Firebolt. Ron had managed to get the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders Map from his clutches before he could chuck those. They would come in use. Harry had given Fred and George the money he had gotten from Sirius's will so they could use it for the joke shop. The twins had seemed unsure at first, but they had taken the money in the end.  
  
She knew that he was so far gone, more than he ever had, after his only link to his parents besides Lupin had died. All signs of Sirius were now gone except for the mirror. How many times Harry would sit alone in a room, thinking no one noticed or cared, just sitting with the mirror. He would talk into it hoping that somehow his Godfather could hear him, thinking that some way he could get him to come back. Oh how much this boy in front of her had changed to become a man.  
  
She let a silent tear slip from her eyes as a symbol of everything he had given up in his life whether it was his choice or not. He hadn't even known his parents, any of his family at all! She saw now why he loved this place so much. It wasn't his home just because it was away from the Dursleys. He loved this place because it was the last remaining link to everything he had sacrificed un-willfully.  
  
"Oh, Harry." She sighed loudly as she stood without the support of the wall and walked next to where he was, "I'm so sorry."  
  
"You're sorry for what exactly?" He bit back with hard venom in his voice, "There is nothing to be sorry for as you have done nothing." He quickly looked around and looked her bitterly. His eyes were burning with rage like they had so many times before in the past years. She would have loved for him to yell at her, to break things, even to hit her if it would get him somewhere. Instead he stepped into his own window and shut it tightly.  
  
Somehow, she had ended up seemingly understanding him, yet, she managed to mess up the perfect opportunity to talk to him. She hit her head on the railing and groaned at the pain that came with it. How could she be so smart yet so stupid? She shook off the negative thoughts that followed and climbed back into her own window.  
  
She strode into her closet. A sense of appreciation came over her for having so much extra space that she had not previously had. It was a Saturday which meant that she didn't have to wear those heavy black robes. She pulled off her clothes and Harry's shirt half-hazardly, glad that she had taken a shower last night. Pulling on a pair of khakis and a light blue top, Hermione picked up her discarded clothes and put them in a hamper by her bathroom door. She looked to her vanity and saw her brush sitting there. She picked it up and tried to desperately brush through her thick hair. She groaned and picked up her wand. She cast a quick spell the make her hair tamer. She then brushed through her hair again and tied it up in the back.  
  
Picking up her wand from where she had set it down, she walked out through the door and into the common room. She saw Harry's door open. He must have left already. She slipped her wand in her back pocket and walked through the portrait hole. She was on the first part of the sixth floor corridor which meant that she only had to go a short distance to the staircase and upward to make it to Gryffindor tower. She arrived at the portrait in about five minutes.  
  
"It's nice to see youngins awake so early in the morning. Password, dear?" The Fat Lady asked her with a sense of pride at having produced a Head Girl so responsible out of her own house.  
  
"Grindylows." Hermione recited as the portrait swung open to reveal the passage so familiar to her.  
  
She walked through the portrait and saw only four or five students awake. She wasn't surprised since it was a Saturday. She shrugged and walked up the left staircase. She passed eight rooms including six years and two bathrooms before she arrived at the last door to the seventh year boys' dormitory. She entered it quietly and saw 4 four poster beds. This was the first time she had been in this dormitory this year so she had no idea which one Ron's bed was.  
  
She walked to the first trunk and saw the initials S.F. and passed. She walked around to the next one that was covered by clothing. She passed it and saw the initials N.L on the trunk. She knew that Dean would have picked a bed next to his best friend so that was between Seamus and Neville. She saw Ron's familiar trunk and walked to his bed quietly.  
  
She could have woken him up with a tap, but he was liable to seal his curtains shut, roll over, and fall asleep as he was not a morning person. He would be grumpy one way or another if she somehow managed to keep him awake. A rude awakening was just what he needed for two reasons. He needed it so he could completely wake up, and he needed it so she could have a good laugh. She smiled and ripped his curtains apart before springing on him.  
  
"Bloody hell!" He yelped louder than she was expecting. She slapped him on the head and put her hand to her lips.  
  
She was still sitting on his waist when she saw three pairs of curtains rip open with their wands out and ready to duel. She blushed at having caused so much commotion and got off of him.  
  
"Oi! Is everything alright over there? I thought we were under attack by Deatheaters or something." Neville exclaimed as his breath slowed down from what it was before. The other blokes quickly put their wands down and calmed down too.  
  
"Sorry. You guys can go back to sleep. I'm just here to get Ron out of bed." She heard Seamus mumble something to Dean before depositing his wand under his mattress and closing his curtains. Dean followed in his actions. Neville shot one last look to them before putting his wand under his pillow and closing his curtains, "Come on."  
  
"What time is it?" Ron asked after a long pause. Hermione shrugged and turned around as Ron got out of bed and presumably changed into a pair of pants and a shirt, "You can turn around now."  
  
"We'll wake the others again." She whispered to him as she took him by his sleeve and dragged him outside and down the stairs to the common room, "You didn't have to yell so loudly!"  
  
"I wasn't expecting to be woken up at…" He paused to look at a grandfather clock that sat in the almost empty common room, "6:45?! You're crazy. I'm supposed to be sleeping."  
  
"Some of us like to get an early start." She shot back as she took a seat in the corner of the room, "It really frightens me when I see things like that."  
  
"Like what?" Ron asked curiously while sitting down. He shot a dirty look to the younger pupils who were staring at them in wonder.  
  
"Did you see how fast they woke up with their wands out ready to battle? I mean what if the Deatheaters somehow find a way to get onto Hogwarts grounds and into the castle. What happens if they take Dumbledore and all the teachers and then get through the portrait? What happens if them keeping their wands under their bloody mattresses and pillows actually becomes a necessity?" She asked rhetorically.  
  
"It's just a precaution. Everyone from fourth year up has their wands close to them." Ron comforted.  
  
"I know, but they don't know. They don't know to what extent the war is raging. People are being killed daily. It doesn't even make the front of the Daily Prophet anymore. It's as if they are what they are, just casualties, unknown wizards and witches and Muggles. We both know, " Hermione leant across her chair to where Ron was sitting and lowered her voice, "that the prophecy is going to be fulfilled this year. The end is coming near. What scares me most is the fact that if the prophecy is as it says…." She trailed off.  
  
"Don't think like that. We'll all make it out. We won't lose Harry when we kill Vold-Voldemort." Ron said still having trouble saying his name.  
  
" 'And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…' " She recited as a worried expression passed over her face, "I hope that it doesn't mean that neither can die while the other lives. Harry has to come out alive."  
  
"Don't think like that." Ron demanded, "It'll all be over soon, and when it does, we'll all go out to celebrate. All of us. Me, you, Dumbledore, Harry, everyone. It'll all turn out alright."  
  
They sat in an uncomfortable silence. She glanced at the younger students giggling over something that probably didn't even matter. How carefree and optimistic they could be in such times she didn't understand. They would be protected under Dumbledore's watch.  
  
"Let's go get something to eat at breakfast." Ron suggested after a good fifteen or twenty minutes of silence. She nodded in agreement.  
  
When they arrived in the Great Hall, she was not surprised to see Harry not present. Hermione had told Ron of what happened in the morning.  
  
"He's being a jerk right now. He kicked me out of the your common room for Merlin's sake! What he wants is for us to come to him, but we can't. Every time he has one of his 'fits' he wants us to come to him so he can blow off some steam. What we need to do is let him come to us." Ron said angrily. He sat down at the empty Gryffindor table.  
  
"If we do that, he'll withdraw into depression." Hermione argued while sitting next to Ron. She swung one leg around so she was facing him on the bench. Hermione picked up a piece of toast and bit on it.  
  
"What he needs to do is get off his HIGH HORSE AND REALIZE THAT WE CARE ABOUT HIM!" Ron bellowed the last part. The teachers and few students from other houses that were early looked at him. He didn't even bother to acknowledge McGonagall's softened expression or Dumbledore's twinkling eyes.  
  
"We can't let him shut down." Hermione said calmly. She put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around to face her. The hall was deadly quiet and she didn't want their conversation to be overheard.  
  
"This is killing me." He said quietly, "I can't just think about what Harry wants or what Harry needs all the time. We're all caught up right in the middle of the war. You and I are in just as much danger as he is…" He trailed off and put his head in his hands.  
  
"He's lost so much, Ron. We--" She was cut off by him taking her hand and stuff the rest of the toast in her mouth.  
  
"I understand that. He's lost everything, but look at all he's gained. All I'm trying to say is that we," He stopped to motion back and forth between them, glad that conversation had started back up and the hall wasn't silent, "can't dedicate our lives to him. Look at us. When's the last time we've had a conversation that wasn't about the war, or Dumbledore, or him? Fourth year? We've given up a lot to be there for him. Remember how upset Mum was when she found out I had chucked my Prefect badge in Dumbledore's face last year? We've given up the possibility of normal lives by choosing to be there for him. While other people doubted and ridiculed him, stared at him like he was a Vampire, got out of leagues with him because of fear, what did we do? We stood by him. I understand that he has an incredible amount to deal with. We do too! All I'm asking of him is to not snap at us like he did yesterday. Until he comes to his senses, we need to leave him alone."  
  
Hermione swallowed the piece of toast and looked at Ron who had turned around to his breakfast and began piling an enormous amount of eggs, sausages, pancakes, and French toast on his plate. She had nothing to say to him. Everything he had said was the perfect truth. Harry would brood in his room and maybe even ignore them for a few days or maybe a few weeks, but eventually, he would get lonely. He would come to talk to them.  
  
There was one issue though. What would happen if he thought they abandoned him? She shook the thought from her head and hoped to Godric Gryffindor that Ron was right. If he wasn't, who knew what would happen.  
  
A/N: So, that's the end of this one... I guess I'll post all I have which is like three more chapters quickly, and then I'll hope for reviews. Hehe 


	3. Alley

A/N: This is for you, Strelly.... I know you'll love it.  
  
Chapter 3: Alley  
  
The rest of their breakfast had gone on in quiet conversation about the seventh year only Hogsmeade trip. In a few hours they would be lined up with the rest of the seventh years to go to the first Hogsmeade trip of the year. Regularly, the first Hogsmeade trip would have been in two weeks time, but the seventh years were given many extra privileges.  
  
When the hall started filling with students, Hermione and Ron had opted to leave and go outside. It was a nice warm day. They would be damned if they would spend the day inside being ogled at by students who had found out about the events of last June. They finally knew what it felt like when Harry would walk anywhere public.  
  
"I'm going to my brother's shop first. They always give me free stuff." Ron said while sitting down on the grass leaning on a tree.  
  
"Accio money!" Hermione exclaimed while pointing her wand at a window she knew to lead to her dormitory. She heard the bag of money crash against the window. She did quick wand work and opened the window letting the money zoom to her. Ron repeated his actions while pointing to the Gryffindor tower further up.  
  
"Is your Mum still upset with them for quitting school?" Hermione asked while sitting on the grass and laying down on her back, her head on her hands.  
  
"You would think after two years she would, but she isn't. She still curses at them occasionally and throws them nasty looks. For the most part though they've gotten the point across that they wouldn't be going back." Ron chuckled. He opened up his money bag and started to count.  
  
"Well you have to think about it this way. Your brothers are the only ones out of all your siblings that weren't made Prefects. As disappointing as that is, they go on and just quit before even taking N.E.W.Ts!" Hermione replied while willing a stray cloud to come to them.  
  
"They're making plenty of money, though." Ron quietly said. Money would always be a delicate subject for him. She figured once he became an Auror he would never have to worry about that again.  
  
Hermione didn't answer and instead just closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Silent days were relished. Her peace was interrupted by the doors opening and seventh years walking out onto the carriages that were coming to take them to Hogsmeade. Ron got up and dusted himself off before putting out his hand for her to take. She pulled herself up and dusted herself off like he had.  
  
They watched the seventh years pass them loudly and get into carriages that were led by beasts Hermione had never wanted to see. How she would have loved to not be able to see them, to be naïve. She looked to Ron and saw a blank expression plaster itself onto his face. Last year's massacre had put them off wanting to come back to Hogwarts. They had the pleasure of not having to see them when they left which was quite odd. Only when their train this year had pulled into the station did she truly dread going to school. She was on the verge of just apparating to the gates and walking the rest of the way in the rain until she realized Harry hadn't gotten his license. He was just newly 17 while Hermione and Ron has both been of age for quite some time.  
  
She looked to her companion for any kind of hint of what he was thinking. He showed no emotion nor any kind of movement. She took his hand gingerly and wrapped her fingers in his and pulled him. His feet had slowly started working on their own and they got into the last carriage that was only occupied with Neville.  
  
"Hello, Neville." Hermione voiced as she stepped into the carriage still pulling Ron along.  
  
"Hermione. Ron." He said eagerly while holding a pouch with presumably his money, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" The boy always had a smile on his face. He had too been at the battle and seen people die at the end of last year.  
  
"Yes. We needed one of these kinds of days. Perfect Quidditch conditions, huh?" She nudged Ron in the ribs. She really didn't want to listen to Ron start on Quidditch, but she needed him to snap out of the trance he was in.  
  
"Our first practice is tomorrow morning! Gryffindors got a great team this year. We're sure to win the Quidditch Cup, but it is rumored that the Slytherins had a professional Quidditch player transfer into Hogwarts just to play for them. I wouldn't put it was the sneaky little bastards to do something like that." He excitedly responded just the way she thought he would. She praised herself for once again thinking on her feet.  
  
The ride quickly ended. They stepped out of the carriages and separated from Neville. Hermione saw a shop to the right with large green letters that were made to look like they were covered in some kind of goop. The sign read: Weasley's Wizard Wheezes! Hermione was quickly dragged into the shop by Ron.  
  
"George! Look who it is! It's our fickle little Ronnie with his girlfriend!" The one she recognized as Fred yelped the second they entered.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend." Ron said through gritted teeth as George came out of the back. Hermione took her time to examine the shop. It was set up like Zonko's was.  
  
Before either of the twins could reply, Hermione took the opportunity to speak, "How has the business been going?"  
  
"Great!" George exclaimed.  
  
"Fantastic!" Fred added.  
  
"Bloody brilliant!"  
  
"Wickedly on schedule."  
  
"Well… except for that one bloke."  
  
"Right… that one bloke…"  
  
"What happened?" Hermione asked curiously while George departed them to go back into the back.  
  
"This bloke came in here a few weeks back and bought a bunch of products. We thought we'd seen the last of him when he came back yesterday with a broken arm and some kind of bird growing out of his head. He hadn't followed the instructions clearly labeled on the packaging and got injured. He came here to try and make us pay for St. Mungos. I told the bloke, 'If you can't read the instructions, don't buy from us!' He won't leave us alone now. We've referred him to the Department of Magical Reversal Squad and told him if he wanted a trial in front of a member of the Wizengamot then all he had to do was say the word and we'd owl them. He, of course, knew he had no case so he's just been settling for bothering us and trying to get rid of business." Fred summed up.  
  
"Why don't you just curse him?" Ron asked bluntly while fingering his wand.  
  
"Stop being daft, Ron. They would lose so much business from that, and they could end up getting an actual visit from an Auror fining them." Hermione looked to Fred to see him nod in agreement.  
"Oh." Ron said dumbly.  
  
"So, where's Potterkins?" Fred asked.  
  
Oh how she wished he was there with them. Ron was right, though. They had to let him brood and 'get off his high horse' as he said. She wondered what he was doing at the moment. He was probably sneaking to the kitchens to get a Butterbeer before going somewhere like the Astronomy Tower or just sitting alone with his mirror. She hoped he was on grounds though. The last thing she needed was for him to be in the Ministry of Magic.  
  
She thought he was practicing his Occlumency, but she thought he was practicing it in their fifth year also. She hoped Voldemort couldn't get through and send him messages. All Harry needed was the perfect motive to go to the Department of Mysteries and sneak in. No one would stop The-Boy-Who-Lived from getting in. He would take the mirror to the veil, and then he would…he would…  
  
"Hermione, look at this!" She didn't wand to complete the thought in her mind and was glad for the interruption. She looked at the Ron who was holding up a piece of candy. He took it in his mouth and turned see through and started floating, "I wonder if I can-" Ron cut himself off and tried to walk through a wall. He fell down immediately.  
  
"You get dafter as the years go." Hermione said. Her companion didn't notice as he was too busy trying to stand up and take the other candy. He managed the feat and promptly connected his feet to the ground, turning solid color again, "I'll meet you at The Three Broomsticks at eleven. That gives you an hour to browse your brothers' shop while I browse the book store."  
  
"Alright." Ron agreed, not even giving her a second glance before scuttling into the backroom.  
  
She waved to Fred and exited the shop. She had never seen the streets so empty. Maybe ten seventh years were walking along the street while most were probably hidden inside stores like Ron was. She saw her destination marked and began walking toward it.  
  
How she loved books! The smell of the musty library! The thirst of learning overpowered every inch of her body. Hermione never had any real friends before Hogwarts. She had spent most of her time in primary Muggle school reading on her spare time. That's how she began to love books the way she did. It was something she would never stop doing.  
  
Just a few meters from the shop, she felt a familiar touch roughly on her hand. She was swung from the open street into a dark alley. Hermione was glad it was an annoying git like Malfoy instead of lethal Deatheaters.  
  
"Are you scared?" He asked her just like he had the previous night. She couldn't help but roll her eyes.  
  
"Yes, I am." She said, sarcasm dripping in her voice.  
  
"Glad to know I have that kind of an effect on you, Mudblood." He said, knowing perfectly well that she hadn't been serious. She rolled her eyes once again while extracting herself from the position she was in.  
  
"If you'll excuse me Malfoy. Not that you have a choice." She spat at him while walking out of the alley. Once again, she felt his hand on hers, pulling her back against the wall.  
  
His lips roughly connected with hers. She let an involuntary moan escape her lips before pushing him. He didn't move but instead latched his lips more firmly onto hers. She searched her robes for her wand like she had previously and was more than just a little glad she found it quickly. She began to think of spells that would incapacitate him from having any interaction with his 'family jewels'. She lost all thought when he bit onto her still sore bottom lip.  
  
He was stronger than her; that was no competition. She needed an opportunity to strike, and it was given when Malfoy left her swollen lips and began to trail surprisingly soft kisses along her jaw. Her wand tightly in her hand, she couldn't help but postpone her cursing. He bit into her neck and her attention snapped back in place.  
  
With quick wand work, she had him on the ground clutching his gentiles. Hermione had learned quite a few spells that effected people as if she had kneed them while at the Burrow. Ginny Weasley was not one to be messed with.  
  
"Malfoy, I'm warning you now. Do not, I repeat, do not ever, under any circumstances, try that on me again. I will make that pain permanent." She motioned with her wand at him before healing her lip. She gave him one look and saw him heal himself with his wand. She snorted at him before turning around and walking out.  
  
She walked in their cozy, furnished living room. Ron was madly talking at her side, but she waved him off when she saw Harry sitting on the couch. It was a little past eleven now, and she was not as surprised to see him awake as she was to see him out of his room. They were threading on egg shells around him, no matter what Ron had said in the morning.  
  
"Hey, Harry. What's kickin'?" Ron asked rather loudly. He had no sense, and Hermione was about to tell him off for it when he shot her a dirty look. Wow, Ron telling her off for something. He was right though. They did need to treat him like normal.  
  
As she thought, he got no response. Harry was still bitter. When she thought about it, when was Harry not bitter. He ought to have fun before the final battle. No matter how much they tried and wanted to ignore it, the fact of the matter was that it was coming up that soon. It would probably be Voldemort attacking the castle.  
  
The first and second years would either be scared out of their wits or like they were, they would try to prove something. No matter how skilled the first year, the Deatheaters didn't fight fair. If it was the most experienced, smartest first year, they still wouldn't be able to take on a Deatheater by themselves, and knowing them, they would probably have another to take them out. Of course the students fiercely outnumbered Voldemort's army, but most would not fight. Even if they did, the Deatheaters would just knock them with Avada Kedavra.  
  
She could imagine it now even with some of her fellow seventh years. However much it scared her, she couldn't let the image of someone like Terry Boot, or Dean Thomas, or Susan Bones taking out their wands and fighting. They would hit them with a Disarming Spell while some would try to draw up a shield with something like Protego. Then what would happen? The Deatheater would take their opportunity to use the Killing Curse. It would go right through the shield, and they would just fall down while their hair lightly fluttered. It would stop their hearts, and they would die. Whose fault would it end up being? Harry would blame himself for not defeating Voldemort sooner. That is, IF he came through it.  
  
She couldn't help but shake that thought that Harry wasn't going to make it without something changing drastically in him. He would fight the most noble battle while everyone around them were having their own battle. She might be trying to take on Bellatrix Lestrange while Ron might fight Lucius Malfoy. He would throw curse after curse, Voldemort dodging it with ease. He would fight and fight until he put all his energy into his final curse that would hit Voldemort.  
  
She would probably run to see what happened and if Voldemort or Harry were alive or dead. Ron might do the same, and end up being hit by Lucius Malfoy. They were already all damning themselves for not taking out the Ministry officials first. If it hadn't been for those bloody buggers, they would have traded Order Members were the Dementors sooner. Then, maybe half of Azkaban wouldn't have escaped last year.  
  
She shook the images from her mind and looked to Ron. He was saying something to Harry. She watched with curiosity as Harry's lips twitched upwards in a smile. Then, just as fast they were in a thin line, his eyes a light shade of green. She frowned as she heard Ron continuing on with what he was saying before. Harry, catching himself, didn't even try to smile this time.  
  
"If you want to be like that, go ahead. We'll be in Hermione's room not bothering you since you're obviously so busy trying to suck all the happiness out of the room." Ron snapped at Harry. I looked to see Harry's face contorting with anger.  
  
"I'm sorry that I can't goof around all the time. Someone has to worry about that bloke in the prophecy who has to fight Voldemort. Oh, wait…" The sarcasm in his voice dripped heavily as he continued, "That bloke… He's me!" He tried to look as if he had just figured out that there was another species walking into the room.  
  
"Be sarcastic, if you'd like. I'm tired of thinking about you all bloody day and having nightmares about you even while I sleep. You think we don't care about you? Fine, I won't." Ron barked at Harry. It looked like it was the last straw for him, and she worried about how this was going to effect him.  
  
She looked to Harry and saw him completely unfazed. His face contorted again, and in a second, it was as blank as their west wall. Ron looked at Harry for a few more minutes before coming over to Hermione. He took her in a tight hug and kissed her cheek, his touch lingering. He removed his lips and replaced where his lips had been with his hand.  
  
"I understand if you want to stay here, but I'm going before I turn into a Dementor." Ron softly whispered. Hermione couldn't help but smile at his freckled face, "I'll see you at breakfast, 'Mione." He let go of either sides of her waist.  
  
"I'll see you then, Ron." She replied. Ron smiled at her, his cheeks brightening to the color of his hair. His breaths came in heavy bursts. He moved to the portrait hole and opened it with one hand, waving before stepping out with one last smile toward her.  
  
A/N: Okie, next chapter is err... Rated R for... well I won't ruin the chapter, but let's just say that Hermione will be very very hurt afterward. Review... Cheers 


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